Portable motor



Nov. 20, 1934. v s. N. SELLS 1,981,076

PORTABLE MOTOR vOriginal Filed June 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l a 181Z:f9;J.

Siaaley/llfeZ-Zs Nov. 20, 1934. s N SELLS O 1,981,076

[PORTABLE MOTOR Original Filed June 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2a f f I1.? a 'i Patented Nov. 20, 1934 PORTABLE MOTOR Stanley N. Sells,Columbus, Ohio Application June 1, 1931, Serial No. 541,277 RenewedApril 12,1934

3 Olaims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoulder suspended supportingmeans by which various articles or devices of varying weight may beapplied to the back of the user and supported comfortably andconveniently in connection therewith. In a more specific aspect thepresent invention has for an object the provision of a supporting meansfor positioning an electric motor on the back of the wearer in orderthat said motor may be employed to effect the operation of a suitableappliance mounted on the outer end of an elongated flexible shaftdriv'en by the motor.

It is another object of the invention to so mount the motor that it maybe comfortably positioned on the back of the operator and so disposedthat it will not in any way interfere with the free and unhamperedmovements of the wearer in the execution of various tasks to which alight motor driven tool or appliance may be adapted.

t is a further object of the invention to provide a supporting applianceof the character set forth wherein the motor is mounted on the supportso that itmay turn freely about a substantially horizontally disposedaxis, whereby theflexible shaft connected with one end of the motor maybe readily positioned on either side of the operator to permit it to beused to the best advantage in the performance of a given operation andat the same time to minimize wear and strain on the connections betweenthe inner end of the flexible shaft and the motor shaft by permittingthe motor to accommodate itself to pulls, strains and variations ofposition which are incident to the use of the flexible shaft.

Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of a shoulderengaging supporting harness which is of such form that it may be quicklyapplied to and adjusted on the back of the wearer without involvingtheuse of uncomfortable belts, to form the harness so that it will readilyrespond to the movements of the wearer without creating discomfort, toprovide means for effecting the support of the outer tool carrying endof the flexible shaft from the harness when said shaft is not in activeuse and to provide an easily worn, efficient, substantially constructedand durable portable motor means which may be usefully applied in theperformance of many tasks to which a light motor driven tool may beadapted.

With these and additional objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combination of elements and arrange ments of partshereafter fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification and inwhich similar characters of reference denote like and correspondingparts throughout the several views thereof:

at all times will be readily available and yet out nions 8.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the back carried motor supportcomprising the present invention, Figure 2 is a horizontal sectionalview taken through the mounting for pivotally securing an electric motorin connection with the support,

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof,

' Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3 takenthrough one of the waist clamps,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the supporting loop for receiving theouter end of the flexible shaft when the latter is not inactive use.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designatesarelatively small light Weight electric motor which is preferably formedto include apertured housing formed from aluminum, or an alloy thereof,to minimize the Weight of the motor. Currentleads of suitable lengthextend from any suitable source of current supply to the lower portionof the housing, and an operating switch 4 may be carried by said leadsor any other convenient point, to control the operation of the motor.The motor is of standard construction from an electrical standpoint andis, of course, adaptable to alternatingand direct currents. The armature(not shown) of the motor may be connected either directly or throughsuitable speed reduction gearing with the inner end of the flexibleshaft 5. This shaft is of considerable length so that it may beextendedaround i the body of the wearer in order that its outer portionmay be grasped by thehands and manipulated in a convenient manner. Theextreme outer end of the shaft has connected therewith a removableappliance or tool 6, which may vary in shape and form, depending uponthe particular work oroperations to which it is adapted.

To effect the suspension or support of the motor on the back of thewearer, where the motor of the way and capable of being comfortablysupported by the wearer, the housing of the motor is formed with a pairof horizontallyaligned bosses 7 having threaded openings therein formedfor the reception of trunnions 8. The inner of these trunnions isrotatably positioned in an opening provided in a supporting plate 9,which plate is fastened by means of screws or the like 10 to an enlargedback plate '11, which may be formed from fiber or other insulatingmaterial. Secured to the upper end of the plate 11 is an outwardlyextending strap 12, which has its lower end formed for the reception ofthe outer of the trun- By this construction the motor is firmly securedto the plate but is free to swing or turn about the horizontal axisprovided. by the aligned trunnions 8 so that the motor maybe turnedeither to the right or to the left to best adapt it to operatingconditions.

To effect the support of the back plate 11 on the back of the wearer,there is adjustably secured to the plate 11 a pair of resilient waistclamps 13. The inner ends of these clamps are slotted as at 14 for thereception of the shanks of headed screws 15. The threaded ends of thescrews 15 pass through openings formed in the plate 11 and have theirouter ends equipped with nuts 16 which may be used, when tightened, tofrictionally retain the clamps in secured relationship with the backplate 11 and yet to permit the clamps to be adjustedso that they may beadapted to the waist dimensions of the wearer. The clamps 15 are stamped0r molded so that they will conform to the curvature of the body of thewearer so that while they may press on and resiliently engage the waistit will not produce-any appreciable discomfort. The outer ends of theclamps are spaced or separated and are devoid of straps or tighteningbuckles, which produce a very considerable degree of discomfort whenworn for extended periods of time. Further, by spacing the ends of theclamps the harness structure may be very quickly applied to or removedfrom the wearer, since no adjustment of buckles is necessitated.

The upper end of the back plate 11 carries a pulley l7 around-the lowerportion of which passes the rounded intermediate part of a shoulderstrap 18. This strap where it, engages with the shoulders of the weareris preferably provided with enlarged pads or shoulder members 19. Theouter ends of said strap are provided with snap hooks 20 which areadapted to be received within eye members 21 secured to the outer endsof the waist clamps 13, whereby a fixed working relation is establishedbetween the shoulder strap, the waist clamps and the back plate. Thisrelation is such as to permit the motor supporting means to respondfreely and readily to the movements of the wearer without hampering orhindering the latter in the execution of various tasks and to permit theweight of the motor and associated parts to be directly suspended fromthe shoulders where such weight can be sustained for extended perio oftime without fatigue or discomfort.

As shown in Fig. 5 there may be connected with either of the eye members21 by means of a snap hook 22, a loop 23. This loop may be employed foreffecting the support of the outer end of the flexible shaft when thelatter is not in active use. By the construction described it will beseen that the motor 1 is mounted so that it may readily turn on itssupporting base, thus readily adapting the motor to changes in positionof the flexible shaft 5 and to minimize pulls or strains on theconnections between the inner end of the shaftS and the armature shaftof the motor, or again it may be desired to turn the motor completelythrough an arcof 180 degrees to permit the flexible shaft to be employedin either the right or left hand of the operator.

As shown in Fig. 2 the armature shaft 24 of the motor is provided withgear teeth at one end which mesh with an idler gear 25 loosely journaledfor rotation within the motor housing. This idler has formed therewith apinion which meshes with a gear 26 on a drive shaft 2'7. The drive shaftis formed with a conical over-load 28 which is frictionally receivedwithin a sleeve 29. This sleeve is provided with a polygonal boreadapted for the reception of the squared end 30 of the flexible shaft,and the shaft is formed,

fact, by loosening the trunnions 8, which are in the form of removablescrews, the entire motor may be disconnected from the supporting harnessand used as a stationary motor by being bolted or otherwise secured to asupportingbase.

The present invention, therefore, provides a convenient, easily Worn,portable motor driven means for operating various tool appliances in afree, readily directed and unhindered manner. The device is particularlyuseful in the cleaning and repair of motor vehicles and in' numerousother capacities where a light readily wieldedmotor driven applianceunder manual control is required. While the invention has been describedas particularly adapted for effecting the support of an electric motor,it is believed to be quite obvious that the harness structure may belikewise used in the support of other devices'and I contemplate its usein all such capacities to which it may find application.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoulder harness comprising a back engaging plate, a shoulder straphaving the intermediate portion thereof movably connected with the upperportion of said plate, resilient spaced waist engaging clamps connectedwith said plate and engaging the body of the wearer, and flexibleconnections between the outer ends of said strap and said waist clamps.

2. A shoulder harness for effecting the support of articles on the backof a wearer comprising a back plate, an anti-friction. guide secured atthe upper end of the back plate, a shoulder strap having itsintermediate rear portion movably engaged with said guide, said strapbeing arranged to pass overboth'shoulders of the wearer and to terminateinto forwardly disposed depending ends, fastening devices carried by theforward ends of said straps, resilient waist engaging clamps havingtheir rear ends connected with said plate, said clamps being arranged tofrictionally and resiliently engage the waist of the wearer, eye membersconnected with the spaced forward ends of said clamps andadapted fordetachable connection with said strap fastening devices.

3. A shoulder harness for effecting the support of articles on the backof a wearer comprising a backplate, an anti-friction guide secured atthe upper end of the back plate, a shoulder strap having itsintermediate rear portion movably engaged with said guide, said strapbeing arranged to pass over both shoulders of the wearer and toterminate into forwardly disposed depending ends, fastening devicescarried by the forward ends of said straps, resilient waist engagingclamps having their rear ends connected with said plate for longitudinaladjustment, said clamp being arranged to frictionally and resiliently engage the waist of the wearer, eye members connected with the spacedforward ends of said clamps and adapted for detachable connection withsaid strap fastening devices.

. STANLEY N. SELLS.

